Sunday Matinee: Nothing To Do [Film]

“Nothing To Do is the story of 50 something Kenny, an aimless DJ at an oldies station in Philadelphia. He’s called to a hospital in Washington D.C., where he’s informed that his father Irv, due to many complications, is at the end of his life. Something Irv has kept from his children. It’s suggested that Kenny and his father discuss hospice. Kenny’s younger sister, a more accomplished person, tries to intervene. She wants to send her father back to the hospital to “get better.” – October Coast PR

Letting go of someone can obviously be a very tough thing to do. It can be even more tough when you tend to be wandering the earth aimlessly yourself, unsure of what it is you are supposed to be doing with your own life. The lives of others tend to serve as a distraction to the internal chaos that swells within you. And when the person you are forced to let go of happens to be your own father, the inner conflict can be even more treacherous. How do you let go? How are you supposed to feel when it seems like the act of letting go is far easier than you would have hoped or imagined? The idea of knowing what is right is also the idea of losing all hope can be treacherous idea to deal with, but can also be seen as very necessary. These thoughts and more are what I took away from my delightful viewing of Nothing To Do. There are no heroes to this story, just people. And sometimes, just being alive can be a struggle that takes as much courage as anything. Nothing To Do is a wonderful film about love, loss, and ability, and the lack there of, to say goodbye to those who matter the most to us. Nobody wants to watch their loved ones perish, but sometimes acceptance is the only answer.

Paul Fahrenkopf gives an inspiring performance as the everyman Kenny who is suddenly handed the task of caring for his ailing father in his final days. The manner in which Fahrenkopf handles such a relatable character is absolutely brilliant. At no point did I truly despise the character of Kenny, and at no point did I truly feel that bad for him. And there was nothing to hate about his manner in dealing with such a horrendous situation. I could simply relate to the character, which is in my opinion, a far greater feet as an actor. You don’t have to simply love or despise an on screen presence. In actuality, I believe that writer and director Mike Kravinsky created some sort of magic when he was able to make Kenny’s sister (wonderfully portrayed by Connie Bowman) seem like more of the “bad guy” for desperately trying to save her father, who was obviously beyond being saved. There is a brilliant juxtaposition of what is good and what is right that happens throughout Nothing To Do, and it is definitely a major factor when it comes to the charm of the film.

Ultimately, this story that is based on real life events, is about the power of family. The bonds of family never die, as the old saying goes. And even when we leave our physical selves behind, the concept of family will never truly die. It’s a delightful concept, and one that Nothing To Do exemplifies very, very well.

Nothing to Do is now available on Amazon in the US and UK, and coming to iTunes worldwide in February.